Featured Artist Russ McIntosh

Artsy Shark presents the imaginative portfolio of featured artist Russ McIntosh. Enjoy and visit his website for more information and images of his work.

The approach I take with my artwork is very distinct, in that I incorporate numerous photographs into a very unique composition. I take inspiration for my art from the surrealists. I’m particularly fascinated by Dali’s double images in his artwork – how you can look at those pieces and always find something new hidden within them.

When I was a child, I often laid on my back and stared up at the clouds and would see shapes and images floating high above me. Oftentimes, complete scenes would unfold in front of me. With a vivid imagination I try to present the same essence within my own artwork. If you look at the shadow shapes and highlights within the image, other objects will start to take focus.

I have always had a passion for art, even from a very early age. I was the go to person in the family when someone needed a poster drawn for a school project. When my older brother was in first grade, and I was in preschool, he had to draw a picture of his house for a class project. As he sat across the table from me, working on his drawing, I began working on my own drawing – an exact mirrored version of his.

Now many years later, I have been working as a graphic designer for nearly 15 years in the Washington DC metropolitan are. Though I enjoy making a living being creative, its my personal work that drives my imagination and fuels my soul.

I am of the mindset that every picture has its own meaning to the viewer. If you ask ten people their thoughts on a particular piece, you will get ten different answers. Every individual brings forth their own experiences and feelings when admiring a piece of artwork. Which is why I do not write descriptions about my artwork, besides the title that it inspired.

My goals are to eventually make enough money from my artwork to focus solely on that, instead of maintaining the corporate 9 to 5 career. I would like to be featured in one of the many galleries in the metropolitan area and to have a broader audience for my artwork.

Currently my artwork is leaning towards more celestial-scapes, as opposed to several of the character centered pieces in my portfolio. I have several ideas in my sketchbook that I am working on, and in the coming months, I plan to have a new series available that all of the images in the piece will flow into each other.

My inspiration comes from many things. From the music I listen to, and visuals I see, to even the dreams I have and the random thoughts that cross my mind. I enjoy starting out with a basic idea, but as the piece develops, the artwork guides me to how it should be finished.